CIEE Gap Year in Seville, Spain: Spanish Language & Culture

Looking ahead to my first year out of high school, I knew I wasn’t quite ready to head straight to college, but I was nervous about choosing a path that looked different from everyone else’s. Finding CIEE gave me so much comfort and excitement for what was ahead. From the moment I signed up, they made the process of moving abroad feel organized, welcoming, and safe. Living in Seville gave me the opportunity to truly immerse myself in the Spanish language and culture in a way I never could have from home. Between living with a host family, improving my Spanish, exploring a new city, and meeting some of my closest friends, I gained so much more from the experience than I ever expected. My time in Seville gave me a new sense of independence and confidence, along with friendships and memories I will cherish forever. I couldn’t be happier that I chose CIEE for my gap year!

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I really enjoyed my time here and improved my Spanish a lot. The CLIC classes helped me learn and practice every day, and the trip to Granada was a highlight. It was a great mix of learning, travel, and new experiences.

I would recommend this program. I loved my experience with my host family and the language school I attended. The weekend trip to Granada was unforgettable and has been my favorite city in Spain so far.

When deciding to take a gap year I felt really stressed about how I would choose to spend my time and finding the right experience for me. I’m so happy I found the ciee gap year program, I felt that it was a great opportunity to learn so many new things and have such a unique experience. My most memorable experience was getting to meet so many new people who J probably never would’ve had I not been in this program and studying abroad here in Seville. And aside from the traveling I got to do, the excitement that came with my Spanish improvement was most memorable for me. Being able to notice my own progress and feel really comfortable in a completely new language was really rewarding.

I would highly recommend CIEE GAP to anyone looking to immerse themselves in the language and culture of southern Spain. The program provides essential necessities such as insurance, support services, peers, and accommodation. What truly stood out to me was the autonomy granted to students, allowing them to manage their time outside of the exceptionally high-quality CLIC classes. This flexibility enabled me to explore teaching, as CIEE allowed me the time to pursue this interest. Additionally, I commend CIEE for their numerous cultural events, tours, and social activities, which are unmatched by any other program I have encountered, all led by excellent guides. The language school, with its international focus, offered me invaluable perspectives on the world through small classes where I enhanced my Spanish skills and grew as a global citizen. I am especially grateful to my host family, as I could not have achieved such a high level of Spanish and cultural confidence without their support. They will remain an important part of my life for a long time. I also thoroughly enjoyed teaching English classes.